


Marry Me

by HeckYeahBughead



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: Cheating, Fluff and Smut, Heartbreak, Lost Love, Love Triangles, Marriage, Weddings
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-03-07
Updated: 2018-03-07
Packaged: 2019-03-28 02:04:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,525
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13893918
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HeckYeahBughead/pseuds/HeckYeahBughead
Summary: This story is based 10 years in the future. In my story Jason never died at the hands of his father. Instead his father was caught in his drug games and sent to prison. Jason and Polly had their babies and were later married. Jughead left Riverdale when he was 17, moving to Toledo with his father to try and rebuild their family. He and Betty did date for a year but split after his move. Veronica and her family returned to New York a few months after Jughead left. Hiram was released from prison and they returned to how their lives were before his arrest. Archie and Veronica also dated but split after realizing long distance was not working out. Betty and Archie started dating about a year after they each split from their counterparts. The core four kept in touch through the distance but drifted as the years passed. Any parts of the story that are in italics, are from the past. I hope you enjoy!





	Marry Me

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first fanfic. I kept chapter one shorter as an introduction to the story. I promise the rest of the chapters will be longer. I got the inspiration for this story from Thomas Rhett's "Marry Me". If you enjoy this chapter please let me know in the comments below.

He’d always been a fidgety person. A nasty habit he’d picked up from his father. As a young boy, Jughead often remembered seeing FP picking at labels on his beer bottles, no doubt following either an argument with his mother or another day wasted looking for a job. Jughead had only developed the habit after his mother and sister left for Toledo, leaving him behind to pick up the scraps.

Betty, Jugheads oldest female friend, had noticed his “twitch” early on. Anytime she saw him picking at a piece of paper, or his fingernails, she’d distract him. Boy was she his favorite distraction.

All of his best, fidget free moments, involved the young blonde. He never in a million years thought she might become THE reason for all his awkward twitchiness these days.

All because of a wedding.

Betty had always dreamed of her wedding day. She could often be found playing in the dusty attic, trying on her mothers wedding dress. As children, she and her older sister Polly would throw fake weddings. Betty was always the bride.

When her sister grew out of the dress up phase, Betty would enlist the boys in her life to play her husband.

Archie, her favorite neighbor and one of her best friends. He was never overly eager, but he obliged for his friend.

Jughead, the boy from the other side of town, Archie’s cute best friend, who was a little weird. He was always first to volunteer.

Little did the young blonde know, that one day she’d be marrying one of them.

Jughead always had the idea in his head that one day, the two of them would leave Riverdale behind and start a new life somewhere else. They’d both go to the same college, major in journalism. Get good jobs doing what they loved. Have children and live every day in love.

“Yeah, right!” He spit out as he rolled his eyes.

The woman who was seated next to him gave him a wary look. Her eyes moving from his, to the paper in his hand. The corner shredded, tiny pieces coating the floor of the bus.

The invitation was exactly what he’d expect it to be. White stock paper, blue flowers lining the edges. The writing in a crisp golden ink.

 

 

You are cordially

Invited to our wedding

6-6-28

Elizabeth and Archibald

First Baptist Church of Riverdale

At 3:00pm

Cocktails, Dinner, & Dancing to follow

 

His finger had moved from the corner of the invite, the once perfect and pristine piece of paper, to the golden writing of his best friend’s name. While he hardly had fingernails, thanks to his issues, he was still able to manage scratching at the curves of the letters that spelled Archibald. His mind begging for there to be any other name in that spot.

His mind wandered as his nimble fingers picked.

* * *

 

_Her giggle was like music to Jughead’s ears._

_Even as kids, he could never quite get enough of hearing her laugh. She always had a tendency to throw her head back, blonde curls bouncing, as she let out such a laugh that anyone around her would start laughing. She was contagious._

_“No, I don’t like him. I told you that Archie!”_

_Her best friend was once again poking fun at the fact that Reggie had asked her to the eighth-grade dance. She said no._

_“Oh, c’mon Betty. He was so nervous. Did you see how sweaty his forehead was?”_

_The red-haired boy laughed as he glanced over his shoulder. Reggie was now approaching Cheryl. Before he could even ask, she just lifted her hand and waved him off._

_“Brutal…” Jughead mumbled._

_Betty was easy to read, and it was clear she felt badly for turning Reggie down. She was always the girl who did not like hurting others feelings. In all honesty it was a pretty big shock that she said no._

_“So, who are you going to go with?” Archie lifted one of his brows as he stuffed a french fry into his mouth._

_Crossing her arms over her chest she scoffed. “Who says I even need a date? I am a strong woman and I can just go alone.” She pursed her lips and grins. It was obvious her mother’s feminist ways were rubbing off on her daughter._

_“I am woman hear me roar!” Jughead said with a chuckle. Her cheeks flushed red._

_As the bell chimed, an indication that lunch was over, they gathered their things and made their way back down the hallway of the school._

_Archie waved goodbye as he ducked into his English class,_

_Betty and Jughead had science together this period._

_“Uh, hey I will catch up with you. I am going to go use the bathroom. Let Mr. Wheeler know I will be there?” Jughead tilted his head to the side offering her a smile._

_“Sure Juggie.” She nodded and disappeared down the hall._

_Truth was, he had been trying to get up the nerve to ask Betty to the dance. Would she only want to go as friends? Did she even feel that way about him?_

_He’d been in love with her for as long as he could remember. There were times when he thought maybe she felt the same way. Those times were usually short lived. It was obvious that she’d had a crush on Archie forever._

_Once the hall was clear, he made his way to the locker at the end of the hall. Pulling a piece of scrunched up paper from his pants pocket he carefully spun the combination in the correct order. Popping the door open he smiled. The locker smelled like her. Pictures of her with Kevin hung on the door._

_As he set his bookbag down on the floor he rustled around inside for a moment._

_“Here goes nothing.” He said as he placed a red ring pop, Bettys favorite flavor, right inside her locker. A piece of ribbon tied through the finger hole, the word “Dance?” Was written as neatly as he could manage. On the backside of the ribbon it just said “Juggie”_

_Before he could lose his nerve, he closed her locker and jogged down the hallway to class, his heart pounding like drums in his chest._

* * *

 

“Anyone else for Riverdale?” the drivers voice was loud over the speakers of the bus.

This pulled Jughead from his thoughts.

“Shit!” Hurriedly he gathered his things, stuffing the deformed invitation into a pocket on his bag.

“Excuse me… sorry... coming through” It was as if the people on the bus were unaware of his existence as he made his way to the front.

As he stepped off the final stair he was welcomed with the warm air of spring.

Slipping the strap of the bag over his shoulder, he pulled his beanie from his pocket and slid it into place on his head.

Like clockwork, his stomach let out a loud growl, reminding him that he had not eaten in five hours.

“Let’s get you some grub…” he pats his stomach as he starts to walk.

 

_____________________

The burger was just as he’d remembered it. He’d eaten his first one so quickly, he had to order another.

Pops was just as it had always been. Only one small difference. When he walked in his gaze instantly went to the booth they used to sit in. There were teenagers he didn’t know there now.

“How’s the burger Jughead?” Pops deep voice startled him.

“Oh boy it is amazing. They do not make burgers like this in Cleveland.” He offered him a smile.

Pops looked the same, just older. His hair was completely grayed, and his face was covered in wrinkles. He still had the same cheerful smile. It made Jughead feel like he was home.

“Holler if you want another.”

Jughead nodded as he finished the final bite of the burger.

Reaching into his bag he pulled his laptop out. As he waited for it to hum to life, he ate a few fries. One of the good things about his job, was that it could really be done anywhere. His boss had been okay with him going to Riverdale for 2 weeks, only because he could still work.

As he finished the fries he pushed the plate to the side settling his computer in front of him, his eyes began scanning the first page of a new manuscript.

(3 hours later)

Jughead was resting his chin on his hand, half hunched over. His eyes were heavy, and the days travel was wearing down on him.

Standing up from the stool he closed his laptop.

“Calling it a night?” Pops called from the other end of the bar.

“Yeah, I spent 5 hours on a crowded bus. I think a shower and a goodnights sleep is in my future.”

He just nodded as he lifted the mop from the bucket, starting to mop the floor.

He stuffed his computer back in his bag, pulling his jacket back on, when he heard the door bell chime. Pops glanced up and smiled.

“Why hello Ms. Cooper.”

Taking in a sharp breath, Jughead froze.


End file.
